Its the 1970s and Bloomington, Indiana is a campus community with town-and-gown tensions. Four working-class teenage boys leave school and spend one last summer together before making the transition into adulthood and responsibility. Dave (Christopher) is obsessed with becoming an Italian champion bicycle racer and who knows maybe, in the Bloomington Little 500 race, dreams can come true. The others have more realistic goals but rally round their friend.

Yates, more famous for Bullet and The Deep, directs action sequences with verve, and deftly manages moments of true tension. But overall this is a comedy with romance, directed with the lightest of touches and a sincerity that is heart- warming rather than mawkish. Dave’s Italomania provides a constant source of fun. A wonderfully balanced feel-good film.

Movies like this are hardly ever made at all when they’re made this well, they’re precious cinematic miracles. Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

One of the true cinematic rarities is the non-stupid teen flick. Its always refreshing to see a film about teens that was created with respect for its characters. Not only does Breaking Away succeed as a touching coming-of-age tale, but it also manages to transcend its genre. Scott Weinberg, Apollo Guide Review

Within this extremely well written and sensitive script, the characters immediately feel natural. This is partly a success for the story (and its writer) but its the high level of acting which breathes life into the roles. Damian Cannon, Movie Reviews UK